Who: Qatar vs SwitzerlandWhat: FIFA World Cup 2026 Group B matchWhere: San Francisco Bay Area Stadium, San Francisco, USWhen: Saturday, 12pm local time (19:00 GMT)How to follow: Keep up with all updates on Al Jazeera SportAsian champions Qatar begin their World Cup campaign on Saturday, looking to banish the memories of their dismal home tournament in 2022 when they lost all three group games.Recommended Stories list of 3 itemsend of listThe Middle East nation faces a tough opening Group B match in San Francisco, taking on a Switzerland side that are unbeaten in competitive matches since late 2024.With Canada and Bosnia and Herzegovina drawing 1-1 in their opener on Friday, both Qatar and Switzerland will be eyeing the chance to take control of the group with a victory on the US West Coast. Qatar’s Akram Afif celebrates scoring in the Asian Cup final in 2024 [Molly Darlington/Reuters]Qatar target their first World Cup pointsQatar return to the world stage four years after their home World Cup went sour. They lost all three matches in 2022 and scored a solitary goal, in an unprecedented low for a tournament host.Since that disappointing tournament, Qatar have enjoyed success, winning the 2023 Asian Cup to defend their title in that competition.They also qualified for this World Cup under their own steam, securing their spot in North America with a 2-1 win over the United Arab Emirates in October 2025.Their qualification campaign was revitalised after former Spain and Real Madrid manager Julen Lopetegui took charge in May 2025. Advertisement “When we arrived here one year ago, more or less, our goal was [qualification]. Our dream was that. Inshallah, we achieved it. With the help of this group. They made history,” Lopetegui told reporters on Friday.“Now we don’t want to stop. We know the kind of opponents we face. We know that we are at the World Cup, but we want to follow our dream.“In the same way, [we’re] thinking that no one gives us presents here. Now we want to be able to be as competitive as possible, starting with the first match …
